Huang Di Dian, the sign reads: The Emporer’s Throne. This hiking trail, just outside of Taipei, is probably my favorite—certainly the most fun—day-trip that I’ve done hiking in Taiwan.

The hike starts in the picturesque town of Shiding. Bus number 666 runs from Muzha and Jing Mei MRT stations directly to Shiding, making this hike an easy one to get to.

The beginning of the hike is the most physically daunting part—Huang Di Dian may be infamous for its vertigo-inducing ladders and rope climbs, but it’s also infamous for the particularly grueling stairs leading up to the actual hiking trail. For over an hour, we slugged our way up non-stop stone steps before even reaching the trail itself.

Finally, when the stairs ended, the real hike began. The stone steps gave way to a muddy tangle of tree roots. It wasn’t long before we were grabbing onto ropes to pull ourselves up slippery steps, or lower ourselves down a steep rock face.

Soon, we came to the first ladder. This one was relatively short, but the metal rungs and rungs hugged the rock and made it difficult to get a hand- or foot-hold on the ladder.

And more ladders, some ascending near-vertical rock faces, and some plunging straight down into the jungle.

Much of the hike is along an exposed ridge line.

A railing has been installed on some of the more narrow and dangerous parts of the ridge. With the wind and slippery ground, having something to grab onto was much appreciated!

The ridge not only makes for a challenging and exhilarating balancing act, but also allows for some stunning views. The hike is in the mountains to the south of Taipei, and the views of Taiwan’s central mountain range are amazing.

About Stephanie

Stephanie spent most of her life in a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After traveling through Europe during University, she fell in love with the excitement of travel, and with the challenge of living in a new country. An interest in Chinese culture and language led Stephanie to her current home in Taipei, Taiwan, which she uses as a base for travels throughout Taiwan and the rest of Asia. In addition to writing for My Several Worlds, Stephanie writes about her travels and adventures on her website, http://www.thewanderingdragon.com. When she's not busy writing, Stephanie spends her time playing music, and planning her next adventure.
For more information, you can find Stephanie on Flickr, or contact her at contact@stephaniealong.com

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I’ve done Huangdidian myself and I enjoyed the hike. Yet it is not one of my favourite hiking experiences in Taiwan. Some of the hikes which have left really deep impression on me are: Chahushan/Banpingshan in Jinguashi (in November – this is definitely THE hike to do in November), the Jiajiuliao trail (Sanxia to Wulai), Hsiaotzishan (Pingxi), the Sandiaoling Waterfall trail, and Shisunjian/Shulungjian (Pingxi).

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